In a tweet, Baroness Grey-Thompson said: "Merry Christmas to the person on the train who just stopped me getting on. Told member of staff 'there's no room for her'. Everyone else waiting on the platform got on."

The 48-year-old athlete explained that the member of Virgin Trains staff "was as lost for words as I was".

Merry Christmas to the person on the train who just stopped me getting on. Told member of staff 'there's no room for her'. Everyone else waiting on the platform got on.

In further tweets she added: "All fine. Got where I was going. Member of staff was really good. Don't want to criticise them. It was that moment where you stop. And afterwards think what could have been done. I didn't say anything either. Should have done."

After one of her Twitter followers suggested she "tell the offending passenger exactly who you are," Grey-Thomson replied: "I've never done any form of 'don't you know who I am'. Don't expect anyone to know me and I shouldn't be treated differently because I used to do something else. I tweet because this happens to loads of disabled ppl and it's hard to get it out."

A spokesman for Virgin Trains told The Independent: "We are glad that Baroness thought our people were helpful but sorry for her experience nonetheless. We've tried to get in touch to see if there is anything else we can do."